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THE ENTRIES IN the prestigious National Geographic Photo Contest 2015 just keep getting better.
The competition is almost at a close with photographers across the world hoping to pick up prizes in the People, Places and Nature categories.
The eventual winner will receive $10,000 and you have until 16 November to get your entry in.
Here are just a selection of some of the incredible work being submitted so far (with captions from the photographers themselves):
Let there be light
“It was one of those days, great for landscape photography as rain clouds raced across the sky leaving gaps for shafts of sunlight in between. I’d been watching the play of light of the mountainside as I drove but wanted a subject to make a photo. It was then I saw the church. I pulled off the highway, set up my tripod and waited. Finally, the church and the mountainside were bathed in that gorgeous soft late autumn light. It was just a moment but I was ready with the shutter release.”
Location: Iceland
A little bit of Bear’s Paradise
“I’ve loved watching wildlife documentaries since I was a kid. One of nature’s wonders that fascinated me the most was the annual return of salmon to their birthplace for spawning… and the bears that live off of this phenomenon. To be able to see it happen in real life was just completely magical and struck a chord deep within. There were about 12 bears at the falls, but six that dominated the prime spots. It was peaceful between the bears as there was plenty of salmon to go around!”
Location: King Salmon, Alaska, United States
A Sandy Disguise
“A line of elephants had just crossed the Chobe River on a hot day. As they relaxed by flicking cool sand on their backs, they were very aware to hide the youngest in the centre of their grouping. For one moment though, this little one disguised in sand got through to give us a quick hello.”
Location: Chobe River, Botswana
Sunset Above the Fog
“A warm and peaceful sunset above the fog at Mount Tamalpais, northern California.”
Location: Mill Valley, California, United States
Baby calling
“A baby giraffe seems to call the mother under an incredible sky of sun rays.”
Location: Kenya
Shangrila Lake
Shangrila Lake or Lower Kachura Lake in Skardu, Baltistan.
Location: Pakistan
Angel in the sky
“Stunning northern lights show in Estonia. I have never seen such a spectacular show before. It is not an everyday event to see northern lights in Estonia – especially so mighty ones [sic]. This photo reminds me an angel with wings widely spread. Certainly there are some greater powers than humans can imagine.”
Location: Karjaküla, Harjumaa, Estonia
The lookout
A lined owl which watches the field attentively.
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Kids and The Abandoned Pinisi
“Centuries ago the Buginese and Makassarese people were famously known as the great sailormen. By using handmade wooden boats named Pinisi they explored the boundaries of the country – even to Madagascar. Even today the lives of the people there are still familiar with the sea. I took this photo on an afternoon in The Port Paotere where children’s descendants of the great sailor playing in shipwreck.”
Location: Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Going home
“A monk on his way home.”
Location: Bagan, Mandalay, Myanmar
The Gathering of Clouds
“Breathtaking view from Schwarzstockli (2,293m) over this spectacular natural border of cantons of Glarus and St. Gallen, Switzerland, as seen on an autumn weekend trek in early October 2015. All after being chased, caught up and left behind by that glorious mist that hopped from one valley to another, leaving me with this frame to awe at. The gathering of clouds.”
Location: Ennenda, Glarus, Switzerland
Cormorants fishing in the dark night
“Ukai Japan has a history of more than 1,300 years. It is one of the traditional fishing methods that has been done in countries such as China. People use cormorants to catch fish in the light of the lamp bonfire.”
Location: Ōgaki, Gifu, Japan
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Why attempt to compete with YouTube. Just create something completely different and own it. YouTube is stuck in people’s heads and will be the go-to place for generations to come.
@The Girl: Perhaps not! They are making a hell for themselves with censorship. Only people themselves should be sensors. New one on the block with freedom is GAB.ai
@The Girl: lol just like Alta Vista and Yahoo were stuck in people’s heads in 1997 as the place to go for Search.
You innovate to compete or you are left behind.
@Brehon Law: exactly. This could be a game changer if done correctly. Many notable channels could depart YouTube due to the demonetisation for supposed infractions.
@The Girl: people said the same thing about MySpace. And then we ALL know what happened next. Bebo came along…
@The Girl: strategically this isn’t a bad idea, Instagram has a large installed base and can leverage existing users on the new platform
@Conor Paddington: Yes, but, remember Google Video? Despite all the money that they threw at it, it was still more financially viable for Google to spend €600m to buy YouTube than compete with it!
I expect it will go the same way all the new “products” they’ve launched in the last 2yrs have gone ….. rise like a lead balloon.
Everything facebook touches is turning to ashes because of greed and the disrespect they show for users and their data,
@Passing through this life: Their share price would suggest otherwise.
@Passing through this life: people don’t care, they post stuff on a website and they truly don’t care about it. If you did, you wouldn’t post.
How many accounts has face book lost? I believe the amt is insignificant
Youtube is easily the best website in the world. Good luck with that.
@Dave McCrea: you spelt Red wrong.
@Decko Kelly: That gave me a chuckle
Full screen and vertical – yuk
You lost me at full screen and ‘vertical’
In order for this to take off they will need to secure the big channels from YouTube which will be very difficult since they already have established fan bases on YouTube. Also they don’t seem to be offering anything that YouTube is not for viewers, based on this at least.
Creators/influencers sicken me to my very core eg Neistat, McKinnon et al
Any alternative platform to Youtube, that is more supportive and financially rewarding for the core content creators, that create the vast array well made content that viewers with many diverse interests enjoy, rather than just the corporate sponsored creators with millions of subscribers, it is to be welcomed.
But the stated belief that people using phones or mobile devices want to watch video in portrait rather than landscape view seems like a great way to self sabotage it at start and make it a very poor approximation of any currently available video platform, not least Youtube…
When will it happen?
Źzzzzz
@Steven Turner: Yyyyyy?
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